Diaspora Policies, Consular Services and Social Protection for Lithuanian Citizens Abroad

This chapter focuses on diaspora and consular policies developed by the Lithuanian authorities and their response to the social protection needs of citizens living abroad. The first part of the chapter presents the general institutional framework by which the Lithuanian authorities interact with the nationals residing in a foreign country as well as the main engagement policies for the diaspora. The second part focuses on the policies, programmes and services offered by the Lithuanian authorities to respond to the social protection needs of the nationals living abroad across five specific policy areas: economic hardship, unemployment, health care, pensions, and family-related benefits. Although Lithuania has been proactive in maintaining relations with its diaspora since 2011, there is a lack of social services for emigrants because of the public opinion that Lithuanians abroad are in a better financial position to contribute rather than benefit from the limited state budget

Exploring Digital Government transformation in the EU: Expert Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement

This report provides an overview of the main activities of experts consultation and stakeholder engagement conducted as part of the JRC research on “Exploring Digital Government Transformation in the EU: understanding public sector innovation in a data-driven society” (DigiGov). The aim of these activities was to validate the results of the study while gaining insights on future research directions and policy developments. To this end, a group of recognised experts and representatives of key stakeholders drawn from a diverse range of academic disciplines and practices in the areas of digital government and data for policy at European and international level were actively engaged. The consultation and engagement activities included a first Consultation Workshop in Ispra, a Policy Lab in Seville and an online Foresight Workshop, as well as the establishment of the DigiGov online community of practice, facilitated by JRC, to further disseminate scientific results and contribute shaping policy recommendations for the future of Digital Government transformation in the European Union.JRC.B.6-Digital Econom

Assessing the impacts of digital government transformation in the EU

This report presents the results of the conceptual and empirical work conducted as part of the JRC research on “Exploring Digital Government Transformation: understanding public sector innovation in a data-driven society” conducted within the framework of the “European Location Interoperability Solutions for eGovernment (ELISE)" Action of the ISA2 Programme on Interoperability solutions for public administrations, businesses and citizens, coordinated by DIGIT. Building on the systematisation of the state of the art carried out in the previous phase of the research, the report presents an original conceptual framework for assessing the impacts of Digital Government transformation in the EU and discusses the results of case studies carried out using an experimental or quasi-experimental approach to test and validate it, carried out in different policy areas in various EU countries. The report concludes outlining the final proposal of DigiGov F 2.0, which defines the dimensions and elements of analysis for assessing the effects that can be generated by digital innovation in the public sector and the impacts they have at social, economic and political levels in different policy-cycle phases and governance contexts.JRC.B.6-Digital Econom

Exploring Digital Government transformation in the EU

This report presents the findings of the analysis of the state of the art conducted as part of the JRC research on “Exploring Digital Government Transformation in the EU: understanding public sector innovation in a data-driven society” (DIGIGOV), within the framework of the “European Location Interoperability Solutions for eGovernment (ELISE)" Action of the ISA2 Programme on Interoperability solutions for public administrations, businesses and citizens, coordinated by DIGIT. The results of the review of literature, based on almost 500 academic and grey literature sources, as well as the analysis of digital government policies in the EU Member States provide a synthetic overview of the main themes and topics of the digital government discourse. The report depicts the variety of existing conceptualisations and definitions of the digital government phenomenon, measured and expected effects of the application of more disruptive innovations and emerging technologies in government, as well as key drivers and barriers for transforming the public sector. Overall, the literature review shows that many sources appear overly optimistic with regard to the impact of digital government transformation, although the majority of them are based on normative views or expectations, rather than empirically tested insights. The authors therefore caution that digital government transformation should be researched empirically and with a due differentiation between evidence and hope. In this respect, the report paves the way to in-depth analysis of the effects that can be generated by digital innovation in public sector organisations. A digital transformation that implies the redesign of the tools and methods used in the machinery of government will require in fact a significant change in the institutional frameworks that regulate and help coordinate the governance systems in which such changing processes are implemented.JRC.B.6-Digital Econom

The Impact of Brexit on young poles and lithuanians in the UK: reinforced temporariness of migration decisions

The main aim of this paper is to assess the extent to which the 2016 Brexit referendum impacted on the decisions of young Polish and Lithuanian migrants to stay in the UK or return to the country of origin. We analyse information from 76 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Lithuanians and Poles living in the UK, as well as those who have returned to Lithuania and Poland since June 2016. We find that, for our interviewees, the referendum had little impact on the decision to stay in the UK or return to the country of origin, giving way, instead, to work, family and lifestyle considerations. Only for a select few did it act as a trigger, either adding to other reasons which eventually prompted the return to Lithuania or Poland, or motivating people to secure their rights in the UK and delay plans to leave the country. We conclude by discussing our results together with existing research on transnationalism and life-course migration theory: regardless of interviewees’ decisions to stay or return, these were never final, stressing the fluid nature of migration and the desire of our interviewees to maintain ties across multiple places

Your heart is where your roots are? Place attachment and belonging among Polish and Lithuanian returnees

Abstract The reintegration of return migrants has been an important issue in migration studies for several decades. While much research has been done to identify returnees’ strategies and their labour market situation in their country of origin, little attention has been devoted to their attachment, especially in quantitative studies. This paper seeks to address this gap, analysing predictors of place attachment and belonging among Polish and Lithuanian returnees from the United Kingdom. We consider autobiographical factors connected to migration history and time spent in a place; relational factors linked to social networks, bonds and contacts; cultural factors connected to feeling “at home”; and economic and welfare factors primarily linked to economic stability and job opportunities. Our analysis is based on a web survey of Polish and Lithuanian returnees conducted in 2020 (n = 740). The results reveal that the influence of autobiographical, cultural and relational determinants on returnees’ attachment is greater than the influence of their labour market position